Stanton Community Meets with US Secretary of Education

On March 20, 2015 Stanton Community Partners joined the rest of the E.M. Stanton Elementary School community to welcome US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera, Superintendent Hite, SRC Chair Marjorie Neff, Congressman Fatah, State Senator Williams, State Representative Harris and Councilman Johnson, to talk about how our federal and state government can best support our schools. We told Stanton’s story and spoke of our long history of community support that developed the mentor program, the cultural arts program, and countless other partnerships that bring essential programs into our schools that have unfortunately become luxuries in this funding climate. We talked about how fortunate we are to have a well resourced community, and the need for better funding to make all Philadelphia public schools vibrant places to learn regardless of the resources in their neighborhoods. Our student government Vice President brought student voice to the event, asking for a full time nurse, more training for teachers, and fewer standardized tests. They asked for opportunities to learn languages, have more after school programs and to take field trips. It was a great dialogue that showed how special our school community is, both inside and outside the walls. On we go.

Secretaries Duncan and Rivera listen while SCP President Lauren DellaCava talks about SCP’s start and the impact of community partnerships at Stanton.